New Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden played only one 16-game season during his seven-year career with the Oakland Raiders. He also posted just one 1,000-yard season while scoring a career-high seven touchdowns back in 2010.
Former Cowboys’ running back DeMarco Muray is coming off of record-breaking numbers with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014.
Despite injury issues and an unimpressive 2014 season, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks highly of McFadden.
You’ve got a good chance to not live up to expectations. Because when you are drafted that high, people think that you are going to be the next Jimmy Brown. So, yes he would have liked to have had a more productive career.” Jones said, on Pro Football Talk Live. “But the kinds of skills that got him drafted with the fourth pick in the draft, he still has.
You worry about injury, but we were worried about injury with Murray. In eight seasons, four in Oklahoma and four with the Cowboys, Murray only had two injury free seasons. And so the position is one you have to take into consideration no matter what the skill level is, they take a lot of hits, lot of punishment, and you got a good chance to have an injury issue. And that’s why we couldn’t make that kind of commitment of dollars to that position.
The bottom line here is McFadden is a cheap investment. And if he gets injured, it’s no sweat to Jones. McFadden signed a dirt cheap two-year $3 million contract. That’s in comparison to the $8 million Murray will earn with the Philadelphia Eagles.
If McFadden mysteriously makes a comeback and produces anywhere near to what he accomplished in 2010, then Jones is a big winner here. If not, it’s nowhere near a bad investment for a former top-five pick.
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